Data Dashboards
Data Dashboards: Operational Insight for Anaerobic Digesters
Anaerobic digesters generate a constant stream of sensor and lab data, and it can be hard for operators and engineers to develop operational insights from dense data sets. Our Data Dashboards organize that information around the parameters that most directly affect digester performance.
To see a typical dashboard with anonymized data, click on the button below. (A new window will open in your browser.)
Sampling Procedure: Gather, Test and Share
Core Process Parameters
Total Solids (TS), Volatile Solids (VS), Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA), and Alkalinity (ALK)
These baseline measurements tell the staff about feed entering the digester and how the biology is responding. Changes in TS/VS tracks raw manure feedstocks, VFA describes acid production during digestion, and ALK provides insight on the buffering capacity inside the digester tanks.
What can you do with this data? Operators/engineers can verify that the feed quality is consistent and also calculate volatile solids destruction (VSD).
Stability Indicators
VFA/ALK Ratio and Organic Loading Rate (OLR)
Stability indicators like VFA/ALK and OLR give a snapshot of the digester health compared to industry standard ranges. Time-trended data lets operators see how VFA/ALK follows any changes in loading, and identify how much loading headroom remains.
What can you do with this data? Operators/engineers can use data on VFA/ALK and OLR to adjust feed rates, change feedstock blends, or add buffering agents before the process becomes unstable.
Digestion Efficiency
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN)
Nitrogen data reveals both how well the feedstock is being broken down and whether the process is at risk of ammonia inhibition. Comparing TKN with TAN in the raw manure and digestate shows how much organic nitrogen is being mineralized during digestion, which is a useful indicator of how completely the feedstock is being broken down. TAN data allows staff to assess the ammonia and ammonium present in the digester. If TAN values are out of range, there is a risk that ammonia will inhibit methane-producing organisms.
What can you do with this data? Trending these values alongside VFA and alkalinity helps distinguish between different digestion issues. For example, rising VFA with high TAN points toward ammonia inhibition, while rising VFA with low TAN suggests possible overloading or a nutrient shortage.
Trace Minerals and Metals
Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), and other trace elements
Methane-producing organisms depend on trace elements as components of key enzymes, and shortages can limit performance even when other parameters look healthy. Deficiencies in metals such as nickel and cobalt can cause VFA to accumulate, reducing gas production. Even small amounts of iron, selenium, or other trace elements can affect the overall digestion process.
What can you do with this data? The dashboard lets operators trace element levels against gas production and VFA, and see whether performance changes line up with shifts in nutrient availability. If needed, operators can dose the digester with additional trace elements to correct any deficiency. Updated dashboard data tells operators whether the supplements were adequate.